New York, June 13, 2013 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that Michael Del Zotto underwent successful surgery to repair a sports hernia. The procedure was performed by Dr. William Meyers earlier today at the Riverview Surgical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The expected recovery time is four weeks.

Del Zotto, 22, registered three goals and 18 assists for 21 points, along with 18 penalty minutes in 46 games this season. He led all team defensemen in points and assists, ranked third in goals, and ranked fourth on the team overall in assists. He also tied for the team lead with eight power play assists, and fifth with eight power play points. Del Zotto notched his 100th career NHL point with a shorthanded goal, and added an assist for a two-point effort on March 19 at New Jersey. In addition, Del Zotto recorded one goal and one assist in 12 playoff contests, including a goal in a 5-0 win in Game 7 of the Rangers’ first round series against Washington.

The Stouffville, Ontario native was originally selected by the Rangers in the first round, 20th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

This is no big deal, it didn’t stop him from running off to Europe with Zucc about 10 min after Game 5 vs. the Bruins ended. Carp any idea when the injury occurred? I thought MDZ was for a stretch of a couple weeks there playing the best of any Rangers defenseman, and then came that late-season home and home with TOR where he was beyond putrid both nights, and he pretty much stayed that way the rest of the year. I’ve all but had it with this guy but don’t think we can trade him, no guarantees on Staal ever being the same and Sauer is probably done, at least here, since his qualifying is $1.25 mil. I don’t see McIlrath breaking camp with the team, especially if Messier is named coach.

Every time the Rangers announce anything from a hangnail to a cheesy assist, they follow with the player’s biography and a panoply (see Jackie Gleason) of statistics which Ranger fans don’t read because they already know all of it, and the rest don’t read because of ennui.

To me, MDZ was ruined by Torts. The good news is that he is still young. So I am prepared to cut him some slack. I am sure the injury played a part in his poor play this year but his decision making ability and hockey sense played a bigger part. The hernia could have played a part in his shooting though.

Blowzie sucked here and he still sucks! He made a ptanted blowzie play yesterday at the blue line which brought back some terrible memories.

Stanley Cup finals was the top rated program on tv last night! Ratings were on par with the NBA finals. Congrats to NBC sports for taking a chance on this great sport despite the plethora of idiots who try to ruin it .

People, gotta realize what Carpy said above. He is a kid, too. Just 22.

Glad to hear there was an injury to explain his not so great decisions and play over the last few weeks of the season. He had a good start to the year, looked confident, then something happened. Maybe it was this. Veterans know how to handle injuries. Some kids don’t.

Trust me, despite his salary, he will be tradeable and there is time. Plenty of teams would want him for the right price. Let’s see how he starts next year.

Sather knows he needs to resign the RFA’s. It has to create such bad will to do what he does. As usual, in September, Derek, Mac, and Hags will be twiddling their thumbs worried about resigning. THe same deal over and over again. Not a good way to engender positivity in the locker room.

In terms of not waiting on dealing with Hank, that can only blow up in his face. Either get a deal done now, like Shero did with Malkin (well before contract expiry) OR know he wont resign. If that’s the case, trade him for some value. These are not hard concepts but they eluded Slather for years. Someone must have told him what to do and he did it with Gabby. Do it again, please. But sign this guy.

What if Hank already told Sather he is decided and NOT resigning unless there are drastic changes…starting with the coach?

To me, that wholly would explain Slats tossing Torts under the bus and give that lame “self life” excuse after the signing the guy for three more years…Why else would Slats budge? What other player carries that weight?

Should we have traded the goalie instead of firing the coach? Not sure there good reason for either…

There were people calling to trade him yesterday, before we knew he was injured and needed surgery. I only say his value is low because he is injured and coming off a bad season. I was being sarcastic. Maybe that didn’t come across well…

And, if Hank is the best goalie in the world (he is, IMO)….it’s a tough call. He obviously wants to win in the worst way and Sather wants him to stay. It just looks like a desperation move by Sather to compromise the coaching staff to appease his franchise player…

your loyalty to Torts clouds your judgement big time. Multiple players wanted him gone. Sather is a moron who has no clue what’s going on with his team. I bet there were problems with Torts well before this past season. Who would be able to stand ANOTHER year of the “process” and “jamless jam” and the eye rolling napoleon behind the bench?

There have been some great goalies to play for one or two teams and not win the cup. Even if Hank were to leave he’s not guaranteed to win. Ask Iginla, Murray, or Morrow on that. The grass is always greener but it doesn’t mean you will win elsewhere either.

Hank is a New York Ranger. If he leaves and wins anywhere else it won’t feel the same to him.

I say he stays, but plays hardball because he has seen what a difficult guy Sather is.

HANK CALLS THE SHOTS. Sather is his puppet. At least, it seems that way since nothing has come out…except for Hank’s interview at the end of the season and the fact that we learned Sather re-signed Torts for three more years (not too long ago) before firing him abruptly

Sather signed Richards to 100 years contract, and after just two seasons Richard will most likely be playing on another team next season. Signing contracts means absolutely nothing. A lot of things happen along the way, you know…

NYR, it seems like a lot of the people who gave Torts a pass for running Gaborik out of town are getting on Henrik or whoever else in the locker room pushed for Torts to be relieved of his duties. What do you think about that? I don’t necessarily like it in either case, but the double standard is totally unfair. That’s part of the business.

Re Torts firing
Sather letting players blow in the wind while he hides behind the curtain smoking a cigar and dreaming of becoming a master baiter is a crime. If I’m Hank, no way I sign back up to play for a team run by that buffoon.
Torts firing is all about Richards and not benching the guy or at least demoting him earlier in the season. Richards was running on empty and Torts was running blind. He lost the room with his handling of the whole mess he created by jockeying for his signing.
Remember DaveM talking about Richards in mental anguish. Talk about an Emotional Rescue in process. What a byfuglien mess.

Well well , trade MDZ …NOT!! why? because we don’t wanna be the old Rangers and trade away our own draft picks . We give ‘em a chance . If webber comes around then Id do it but MDZ did play with stamkos and is a real gem. Young gem .No trading him .

I don’t know about you guys but for me , hiring Messier and Leetch would be super super cool . These guys are OUR guys , let them coach. I trust them.